That's Not What Happenedby Kody Keplinger

It's been three years since the Virgil County High School Massacre. Three years since my best friend, Sarah, was killed in a bathroom stall during the mass shooting. Everyone knows Sarah's story--that she died proclaiming her faith. But it's not true. I know because I was with her when she died. I didn't say anything then, and people got hurt because of it. Now Sarah's parents are publishing a book about her, so this might be my last chance to se...

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Reviews That's Not What Happened

Laura1970-01-01

“Sometimes it’s okay to believe things that aren’t true. Sometimes it’s necessary.”I have been a Kody Keplinger fan since The DUFF, which still finds its way into my re-read rotation. Ms. Keplinger’s characters, banter, intelligence, and strong messages that tie right into current events and moods make her one of my favorite voices. But That’s Not What Happened did not work for me.Three years ago, 6 teenagers survived a school shoot...

Tati1970-01-01

Eh...This was an okay read. Yes, yes, call me cold-hearted for not enjoying a book about the aftermath of a school shooting. The thing is, while the situation itself is very traumatic, the writing didn't make me care about the characters, or what happened to them. To be honest, not even the mistery around the shooter's identity gripped me. Also, I was led to believe the secret that Lee was going to reveal would be much bigger.

Zoe1970-01-01

I could not put this book down. Going to be one of those books published at the right time, what with the school shootings in America. This book takes a look at the survivor stories and what they have to go through, even 3 years later. A fab read!

Alison1970-01-01

There seem to be quite a few books about school shootings at the moment but this is probably the first one I've been tempted to read. It's such a difficult topic and I really didn't want to read a book that was going to deal with such a heavy or emotionally charged subject. This however appealed to me firstly because of the author but mostly because this book focuses on the survivors and how they're coping (or not) three years down the line.Mass ...

Kate (beautifulbookland)1970-01-01

What a book.This is one of those books that I’m going to shove in every single person’s face because YOU HAVE TO READ IT. It’s a book that, like I Am Thunder, is so relevant to today’s world that everybody should read it. It’s completely heartbreaking, and I’m not lying when I say that I had a box tissues next to me, but I absolutely loved it. What it’s AboutThree years ago, Lee’s best friend, Sarah, was killed in the Virgil Count...

Alicia1970-01-01

This is a tough one. The content is emotional and so relevant. The social commentary about controlling the narrative-- present in a smash hit in The Hate U Give-- is an important topic to explore and we want teens to be able to express their feelings, thoughts, and share the truth... always. Yet there was a lack of emotion in the story that focused more on the "mystery" of the real story of what happened in the bathroom. Lee needed to be able to ...

Rimpy Toor1970-01-01

So this novel was one that I found very important, especially in the times right now. Seeing as how it was about a school shooting and followed the lives of the survivors, I found it to be incredibly impactful and insightful.This novel was written in the format of a diary/letter from the main character as well as several of the secondary characters. It gave insight into the lives of these kids who survived a school shooting in which many of their...

Stacie Boren1970-01-01

@kidlitexchange #partner Thank you to #kidlitexchange for sharing the review copy of this book. All opinions are my own. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 That's Not What Happened by Kody Keplinger. 3 years after a mass school shooting 6 survivors are still trying to pick up the pieces of a heart wrenching day. Six, well five, because in a small town hate is too much when people want to believe things happened one way when in reality, that isn't how it happen...

Cesar Leon1970-01-01

This book felt so real story because of Kory Keplinger style of write feel so credible.Three things you need to know about this book:- Kody is not afraid to cross some lines I think writers never try to cross in YA books-The characters are so complex make you think everyone is a Real person.-The most amazing thing about this books is Social criticism we have heard not need to be about the meaning thing of the book for me so strong and important t...

Ms. Yingling1970-01-01

E ARC from Edelweiss Plus

Lizz Axnick1970-01-01

Let me preface this by saying I received an ARC copy of this book so maybe this will be part of the final product. This book could be very triggering to certain audiences so I would advise careful introspection for those questioning whether this book might be too much for them. I wanted to read this book since I had just finished Columbine by Dave Cullen (it was fascinating and horrifying). That's Not What Happened is basically taken from the Col...

Jenn1970-01-01

I'm still processing this one - especially considering the events in Florida recently - but I will say that this is likely Kody's most thoughtful and though-provoking novel yet. I can't wait to share this one.

Aoife1970-01-01

I've seen other novels by Kody Keplinger; The DUFF: Designated Ugly Fat Friend, Shut Out. I've always thought they looked interesting, but I've never gotten around to reading them. I'll be changing that at my first opportunity. Kody is amazing.It's a sadly current book, the story of a school shooting from the point of view of the survivors. As I write this, the Texas shooting is still in the news. By the time the book publishes, it'll be some oth...

Sophie Marsden1970-01-01

3.5/5Although I think this book has a very important message, I didn’t love it as much as I was hoping to.

Bookphile1970-01-01

This is, hands down, one of the best books I've read in some time."It's a good story. And you know what people like way more than the truth? A good story."I don't usually quote books in my reviews, but when I reached that one, it was such a perfect summation of the book that I knew I would have to use it. It encapsulates everything Keplinger is trying to get across with this novel. Yes, this is about the aftermath of a school shooting, but in man...

Chelsi1970-01-01

3.75 StarsThat's Not What Happened is about the Virgil County shooting that happened three years previous. We follow Lee (Leanne) who is one of the six survivors; Danny, Miles, Ashley, Eden, and Kellie; and her quest to finally get the truth out there. (When she could have done it three years ago) Sarah, Lee's best friend, was "proclaiming her faith" before she died but that's not the case. When Sarah's parents announce that they are going to pub...

Endor1970-01-01

Summary: In this book, it’s three years after Lee along with five others survived a school shooting. Jumping between, letters, the present, and the past, this story follows Lee as she attempts to cope with the loss of her best friend, and the lie about what had happened in the bathroom where she was shot. Now that Sarah’s parents are publishing a book that will promote this false story, Lee attempts to tell everyone the truth. But sometimes l...

Siobhan1970-01-01

That's Not What Happened is a powerful and relevant YA novel about the aftermath of a school shooting. Lee is one of the survivors of the Virgil County High School Massacre, but her best friend Sarah was killed. The story is famous: Sarah died with a cross necklace, proclaiming her faith. But Lee knows that this isn't the truth, and she realises that she wants to set the record straight. As she talks to her fellow survivors, she sees that everyon...

Alexis Nalley1970-01-01

Let me start with there was not a second of this book in which I was not sad. Sad for Lee, for Sarah, for everyone in this book. Which was probably the point. It also maybe because these kids could have been me, could have been any of us, and probably will be some of the people reading this book. I really loved the format of this book. I liked that the whole book was a letter from Lee. The whole book felt like Lee was talking directly to the read...

Danielle1970-01-01

I was 15 and a freshman in high school when the Columbine massacre happened in 1999. I became a Christian not long after that and so I was super familiar with the story (or the story that was told at the time) of Cassie Bernall. I clearly remember how big the story became of Cassie's supposed saying yes became and that a song called "This is your time" by Michael W. Smith was inspired by the story. I did read the book by Cassie's mom (although, t...

Dawn Woods1970-01-01

Lee experienced a school mass shooting and survived. She has to deal with the aftermath which is traumatic itself and lasts longer. She feels guilty that she did not stop a rumour about the crime immediately afterwards, but let it slip for good reasons. But now she feels the need to correct that. She wants other survivors to write their accounts to demonstrate the truth. But not everyone feels the same.Considering the author (as far as I know) ha...

Megan Hahn1970-01-01

#partner Thank you @kidlitexchange for a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own. That's Not What Happened deals with the aftermath of a school shooting. How a community attempts to make sense of a tragedy. How narratives that are presented by the news are not always what they seem. Author Kody Keplinger writes very compelling characters, that go beyond cliches or stereotypes but are rather full of humanity. The crux of the plot is that...

Jaime1970-01-01

I read this in one sitting, but I’m still trying to figure out how I feel about it and why. It seems pretty loosely based on Cassie Bernall, the girl from Columbine who was killed after allegedly being asked if she believed in G-d, and answering yes. (There are stories claiming it was actually another girl who was asked, and she lived). Keplinger adds twists and changes to that story, but it felt like something was missing - and while she portr...

Lily Humphrey1970-01-01

"That's not what Happened" by: Kody Keplinger is about a Junior named Leanne at Virgil County High School. Virgil County High School is best known for the mass shooting that happened there 3 years ago, where Leanne's best friend Sarah was shot and murdered in the bathroom of the school. Leanne was with her when it happened, she is one of the 6 survivors left that saw what happened. She saw what happened to Sarah, and it's haunted her for 3 years,...

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